


Hoist the Colors

by Verdantsolstice



Category: Star Wars - All Media Types, Star Wars Sequel Trilogy
Genre: But sort of different, Childhood Friends to Enemies, Don't come here looking for historical accuracy, F/M, HEA Guaranteed, Human Trafficking, Inspired by Pirates of the Caribbean, Pirate AU, Slave Trade, Snoke is the Worst, but like mild enemies, naval officer ben, pirate king rey
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2021-01-25
Updated: 2021-03-01
Packaged: 2021-03-17 08:08:38
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 3
Words: 13,542
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/28971114
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Verdantsolstice/pseuds/Verdantsolstice
Summary: Rey is Pirate King as the sun sets on the golden age for pirates. Ben is a captain in Her Majesty's royal navy tasked with her capture. He is shocked to find the sweetheart of his youth on the other end of his ship's cannons...and that her face is absent of the light he once knew@korerosemarinusposted the song That Sea, The Gambler by Gregory Alan Isakov asking what reylo prompt it was -- this is my answer
Relationships: Rey/Ben Solo | Kylo Ren
Comments: 18
Kudos: 28





	1. chapter 1

Despite everything, Rey loved the sea. It was open and free, there were no judgements, only the consequences of one's own actions. The sea didn’t care who your parents were or what you had done in the past. There was only your ability to navigate the changing moods of the water and weather.

She had conquered men and women alike. Razed seaport towns and drowned ships that challenged her. She was the Pirate King, the bane of Her Majesty’s government, and a nigh unstoppable force in the Caribbean. And yet, she knew one day the sea would claim her for its own. 

She would welcome the day when it came. She belonged only to the sea, but not in the way that people thought. 

For all her glories, Captain Niima carried a fiercely guarded secret. 

Rumors swirled that she had bargained with the devil: her heart for a ship, her soul for power. The heartless Pirate King was a whispered fear amongst sailors. Rey let the stories grow unimpeded, encouraged them even, for they protected her from the truth. 

She had given her heart away a very long time ago. Not to a devil, nor a demon, nor a god. But to a boy named Ben. 

And she never really got it back. 

–o––o––o––o––o––o––o––o––o––o–

Ben was to be sent back to England to attend university. It was the expected course for a young man of his station. His mother was Governor and his father Commodore of Her Majesty’s fleet in the Caribbean. Ben would follow in either of their footsteps. It was expected. 

There were of course days where he missed the easy change of the weather in England. There were four seasons, when one tired of summer, fall was just around the corner. Just when the dark days of winter became unbearable, spring brought about new life. In Port Royale, however, it was only ever two things. Hot and sunny or hot and rainy. Frost was but a distant memory, as were the golden leaves of his childhood home. In that respect, he was looking forward to seeing England again. 

But leaving the Caribbean, also meant leaving Rey. 

Ben wasn’t exactly sure if he believed in God, but he thanked whatever divine power it was that led him to spot Rey’s small body lying prone on a floating piece of a wrecked ship. 

_His own ship had been cloaked in a thick blanket of fog when through the gloom, he spotted a parasol float past their starboard side. Ben watched it for a moment, amused, then more flotsam and jetsam bobbed by. Then he spotted a girl in the water._

_His shouts roused the ship. “Look! There’s a girl! There’s a girl in the water!”_

_When she was heaved aboard, her small frame was soaked through and she was shivering. His mother appeared with a blanket, and told Ben to watch over her until she could find some dry clothes (she would end up wearing something of Ben’s)._

_The moment her eyes opened, Ben breathed a sigh of relief. “You’re safe now. I’m Ben, Ben Solo.”_

_“R-rr-rey,” she said through chattering teeth._

_“Don’t worry Rey, I’m watching over you.”_

That was eight years ago. And they had been inseparable since. She was brave and daring, and she made him brave as well. Ben taught her how to read and write, and she taught him how to throw (and take) a punch. Though they didn’t play at being pirates anymore, Ben did teach her how to wield a sword ( _it’s stupid that they don’t let girls learn useful things, she had complained)._

And now he was leaving. 

He found her chopping wood outside of the blacksmith’s shop. Ben swallowed and wiped his palms on his trousers. He wasn’t sure exactly when talking to Rey had started to make him nervous. Something had changed recently, except he didn’t know what it was. 

She seemed mostly the same, still his adventurous, funny, whip-smart best friend – but there was something _else_ now. Something else in the shape of her, the curve of her neck, the sparkle in her eye… 

Ben cleared his throat, embarrassed by where his own thoughts were going. Only his efforts to regain his own attention had also gotten that of Rey. 

“Good morning,” she smiled, as if she was unaware of the pounding of his heart. Surely, she could hear it from where she was standing. 

“Good–” his voice cracked and he winced, “good morning.” Ben sat across from her, acutely aware of how red his ears probably were. 

Rey only smiled, sometimes she laughed good naturedly when he did that, but not today, thank the stars. 

“I um...I have to tell you something,” Ben fiddled with a loose thread on his cuff. 

Rey dropped the chopped logs in the small pile at her feet and gave him her full attention. There was a smudge of charcoal above her eyebrow already. And if he looked closely, he knew he’d find callouses dotting her hands, as well as stains from polishing the finer pieces of metal she created. 

“I’m going back to England for university,” the words were directed at the cloth Rey was cleaning her hands with. 

“Oh.” 

A long silence stretched between them until Ben risked a glance up at her. She was staring at the ground, unblinking. 

“I’ll be gone for a couple of years.” 

“Mmm.” 

“The ship leaves next week.” 

“I see.” 

More silence. A breeze cut through the alley, it felt much colder than it should have done for this time of year. 

“Rey please say something.” Now that he was looking at her, he couldn’t look anywhere else, but she refused to meet his eyes. 

“What do you want me to say?” she asked quietly. 

“I don’t know – something, anything.” He was nervous now. Of the two of them, Rey was never at a loss for words. Something he sometimes wished wasn’t true, especially when he was trying to concentrate on a book. 

“I’m sure university will suit you well, and you will find much success. I wish you all the luck in the world, Ben,” her tone was bright and her words were encouraging, but when she finally looked up at him, her eyes were wet. 

“Rey–” 

“If you’ll excuse me, there are things I need to tend to,” she turned abruptly and went back into the smithy before he could move. 

The next week passed in agony. Rey managed to avoid him to every turn. He tried catching her before her work day began, but the house was already empty. When he went into the forge, she was out on deliveries. He waited for her in the evenings, but still she evaded him. When he wasn’t preparing for his new life in England, he was looking for her. But Rey had always been better at hide and seek than he had been. Truthfully, Ben was sure he would have gotten into far more trouble as a child if it wasn’t for her uncanny ability to remain unseen until she wanted to be found. 

But now it meant there was less of a chance he was going to be able to fix whatever had broken between them before he left. He didn’t want to leave if she was mad at him. He didn’t want to leave at all, but it was expected of him. He would be carrying on his family’s legacy in one way or another when he was grown. Either in politics like his mother, or in Her Majesty’s Navy like his father. Or he could be a priest like his uncle, but that would require a firm belief in God and Ben wasn’t sure about that just yet. 

The night before he left, he finally managed to corner her. His parents had been called into town for an emergency meeting, there were reports of pirates in the area. 

He found her in one of their old hideaways. They had built a treehouse shortly after their arrival in Port Royale. ‘Treehouse’ was a generous word for a couple of planks balanced like a bench across two low branches, but it was a treehouse to them, and it was theirs. It was on the edge of the estate, where manicured garden slowly turned into jungle, hidden except to those who already knew where it was. 

This was where he found her sitting. Ben approached her slowly, afraid she would see him and disappear again. But of course she saw him, Ben learned early on there was very little that passed Rey’s notice. She tracked his advance silently, her face devoid of any discernible emotion. 

“I’ve been looking for you everywhere,” he said softly. 

“I know,” she dropped her eyes down to her hands twisting in her lap. 

“I’m sorry I have to go.” 

Rey only nodded. 

“People expect things of me Rey, it’s just the way of things.” 

At that, she looked up at him, eyes flashing. “And I wouldn’t understand because I’m just an orphan girl who will be tied to a forge for the rest of her life.” 

“That’s not–” 

“No one expects anything of a poor orphan girl. I’m only here to serve as a testament to the generosity of Governor Organa for finding me a living and the good natured responsibility of her son until it was time for him to move on to better things. Go off and achieve great things, Benjamin. Finally live up to your family’s legacy,” she snapped, her voice as sharp as the finely honed steel she created. 

Ben took a step back at her anger. They had quarreled before, but this was different. More than anyone, she knew exactly where to hit him. 

“Rey…” a lump was forming in his throat but he didn’t know what to say. 

“I don’t need your pity anymore. You needn’t pretend. Enjoy England,” she stood and left him standing there, confused and bereft at the edge of his parent’s estate. 

_______________

Ben waited until the last possible moment to leave the house. He was hoping beyond hope that she would still come to say goodbye. 

“I’m sure she’s waiting down at the harbour. Ben dear, we really must be going. We can’t leave the ship waiting,” said Leia gently, holding the door open. 

He didn’t say it, but somehow he knew that Rey wasn’t waiting for him at the dock. She wouldn’t be there to see him off. She wouldn’t stand there and wave until the ship was no more than a smudge on the horizon as they used to when they were young. 

He had lain awake, tossing and turning all night. Several times he tried writing a note to her, explaining that he really didn’t want to leave. That she was never just an orphan, not to him. But the words never came out properly and every sheaf of paper he had ended up torn and in the fireplace. 

And now he’d never get to set it right. 

Because she wasn’t in town. She wasn’t waiting by the ship. She never appeared, even as he stood at the railing, desperately hoping for one last glimpse of her. He didn’t move from his spot on the deck as the gangway receded, as orders were shouted, as the ship creaked away from its anchored point. He didn’t move as his parents grew smaller until they were swallowed by the distance, then Port Royale was just a blur against the landscape, then there was only ocean. 

He never got to say goodbye. 

–o––o––o––o––o––o––o––o––o––o–

Before Ben even opened his eyes, he knew the day was going to be a hot one. Granted, most days in Port Royale were hot and humid. However, there wasn’t even a breeze coming off the sea on this particular morning. There was nothing to stir the stifling air of his room. While those in the Caribbean loosely followed the fashions of England, he was glad that they had long since abandoned the use of wigs. He couldn’t fathom donning such a stifling contraption in this heat. Even his Captain’s uniform was going to be unbearable today. Momentarily, he longed for the days of his youth when it was acceptable to run around in shirtsleeves and short trousers. 

With a groan, Ben got out of bed and crossed to the open window. Port Royale sprawled out beneath the window. The governor’s mansion, still his family residence, stood at the highest point of the town. From his bedroom he could see everything, the market place beginning to awaken in the early morning light, the ships out in the harbor, and beyond out to the sparkling sea. He watched a steady plume of smoke emerge from the chimney he knew belonged to the blacksmith’s forge. 

_Rey._

He hadn’t had a letter from her in the four years he’d been away. The words that had failed him at their last meeting came to him during the crossing to England. He filled his notebook with words for her, and even some embarrassing attempts at poetry. By the time he reached London he had needed to find quite a big envelope indeed to send it all back to Rey. 

On his second week at university he received word from home that Rey appeared to have left Port Royale. She would never read all the letters he wrote. Even so, Ben continued to write to her. He told her of life in England, how much he missed her, and how much he wished things were different. 

Those letters were never sent, instead they were tucked deep in his traveling chest now, a place where he couldn’t stumble upon them accidentally. As if he could pretend they weren’t there, that he had mailed them, and she had read them and written back. As if she was still in the room next door and he would see her at the breakfast table. 

But no, she had left the island.. For all he knew, she had left this part of the world entirely. Despite all the resources of his parents, no one had been able to find her. 

Rey had always been good at hiding. 

_______________

“Ah! Good morning Captain Solo!” 

“Good morning, mother,” Ben rolled his eyes as he leaned down to kiss her cheek. He had been awarded the rank when he finished university, there was a novelty to it he supposed, but it was hardly warranted during breakfast with only his parents. 

“I made sure that Cecil had all your favorites ready for your first breakfast back in Port Royale.” 

Ben looked over the table as he sat down, it seemed every type of fruit to be found within a hundred leagues was indeed sitting atop the breakfast table. There was even a papaya sliced and arranged into the shape of a swan. 

“Did you leave anything for the rest of the island to eat this morning?” 

Ben heard his father snort quietly before trying to cover up the sound by ruffling his newspaper. 

“I see that four years in England hasn’t rid you of your father’s sense of humor,” answered Leia. 

Ben just smiled as he poured himself a cup of tea. Han wisely kept quiet as well. 

It was just as well Ben had never been one for large breakfasts, between answering Leia’s questions about his time at university, he wasn’t able to take more than a couple bites of anything. The conversation continued until Cecil came in with a message for his parents. 

Ben watched in concern as the frown on his mother’s face grew deeper until she passed the note to Han. 

“What is it?” Ben looked between his parents. 

“Another of the Western Trading Company’s ships was attacked,” answered Leia. “We’ve always had to deal with pirate raids, the consequence of establishing settlements in this new world, but they seem to be getting out of hand as of late.” 

Han snorted. “That’s one way of putting it. Although I am curious as to why they haven’t reported their losses in more detail, especially given the ire in this note.” Han passed the paper to Ben. 

“Curious indeed,” agreed Leia. “I have long since suspected Snoke has expanded business to go beyond what they report to the crown, but until some proof turns up, it is little more than a gut feeling.” 

“Surely not, Lord Snoke is a frequent guest of the Queen’s. He is popular at court, and his advice is much sought after. I myself found his guidance invaluable during my time in London,” answered Ben. 

Ben didn’t miss the look that passed between his parents. Suddenly, he felt like a child again, being passed over for “things he just wouldn’t understand yet”. They were wrong, Lord Snoke was an upstanding Englishman, and he would ensure they saw that. 

“We had better head into town, no doubt that weasel from the company is waiting to berate us for our inaction,” Han grumbled. 

“I’ll join you,” Ben rose from the table. 

“You don’t want to take some time to recover from your journey? You’ve earned a break, I’m sure,” Leia asked, her eyes alight with motherly concern. 

“No, there’s no reason for me to sit around here when there’s work to be done.” Its possible that Ben’s answer was sharper than he intended, but he wasn’t a child anymore. He had grown into adulthood away from his parents, and if he was indeed to lead their navy, they needed to see what he was capable of. 

_______________

The “weasel” that Han had mentioned was indeed waiting for them in Leia’s office. He was a tall, thin man with a shock of red hair that was slicked back in a fashion Ben hadn’t seen before. 

“Mr. Hux, good morning,” said Leia. Her tone was pleasant enough, but Ben knew it to be forced. A glance at his father confirmed his suspicions. Despite his long career in the navy, Han had little time for the games of politics. Honestly, neither did Ben. He had learned as much during his first year of university. He much preferred action to sitting in stuffy rooms waiting for the metaphorical daggers to descend. At least at sea, weapons were carried openly. 

“Governor,” the man inclined his head and turned to give Han the same greeting. 

“Armitage Hux, this is Captain Ben Solo, he will be overseeing our fleet at sea. Captain, this is Armitage Hux, the Western Trading Company’s representative here in Port Royale. 

“Pleased to make your acquaintance. I had the honor of spending time with Lord Snoke while I was in London,” Ben reached out to shake the man’s hand. Despite the warm day, Hux’s hand was frigid. 

“I do hope this means our problem will finally be given the attention it deserves,” he responded primly by way of greeting. 

“Of course,” was Ben’s only response. He stepped back to stand half a step behind his father. While such formalities were not observed in their family, this was a business meeting and as a captain, Ben was now serving under Commodore Han Solo. 

“While of course we will investigate this latest incident, the ocean is large Mr. Hux. It would perhaps be more useful if we knew exactly what we were looking for. Your message did not include information on what was taken, the ship’s manifest would be useful in this situation.” 

“The manifest was destroyed in the attack, as were several portions of the ship’s rigging. It’s a testament to the bravery of our sailors that the pirates didn’t destroy the entire ship,” Hux answered gravely. 

“Indeed.” Leia’s face remained impassive. 

“When is the ship due in?” asked Han. 

“She was supposed to arrive tomorrow morning. However with the ship crippled as she is, I expect it will be a few more days at minimum. The town will just have to ration any necessary supplies.” 

Ben heard the statement for the threat it was – a not so veiled reminder that the people of Port Royale relied heavily on the Company for anything that was not indigenous to the island. 

“Captain, take a crew and tow the ship in, if they were due in tomorrow morning, they should only be a few miles out. The dockmaster can provide you with their usual heading,” Han turned to Ben. 

“Aye, sir.” 

“Excellent,” Leia stood. “If that is all for now, Mr. Hux, there are more matters that require the governor’s attention. 

“Of course,” Hux gave a bow that bordered on downright rude and swept from the room with a haughty air Ben didn’t think he’d ever seen in Port Royale before. 

“What a tiresome man,” Leia sighed when the door snapped shut. 

“Well, kid, you wanted to start right away. Let’s get you on a ship.” 

_______________

Within the hour, Ben was on the water. His father’s right hand man, Charles was acting as First Mate to help guide Ben’s first official mission. After all, the last time Ben had sailed in these waters was in a tiny boat with only Rey for company. 

Hastily, Ben shoved the memory away. He hadn’t realized how hard it would be not to think of her now that he was back in Port Royale. It was as though he was waiting for her to appear around every corner, to take his hand and haul him off on some misadventure. But each time he thought of her, the happy memories quickly dissolved as he remembered the tears in her eyes when he told her that it was time for him to go back to England. 

A cough behind him brought Ben back to the task at hand. He turned to find Poe Dameron waiting for him. When they were children, their mothers had hoped the two would be friends, but they had never managed more than cordial indifference. Ben thought Poe was ostentatious and he thought Ben was a snob. 

Ben supposed there could be truth to both statements. 

“Lieutenant Dameron, how can I help you?” 

“It’s Lieutenant Commander actually, Captain Solo.” 

“Oh, indeed.” 

Of course Ben knew that, the rank was plain as day on his uniform. 

“How much do you know about the pirate threat that we’re coming up against?” 

Admittedly, not much. Ben’s late arrival last night and insistence in getting right to work had left him at somewhat of a disadvantage when it came to such information. But he was hardly going to let Dameron know that. 

“They didn’t destroy the ship, nor did they appear to have done serious damage to the crew, so my guess is they’re not true marauders. It’s possible it was a simple crime of opportunity.” 

Dameron let out a short laugh. 

Ben creased his eyebrows, his logic was perfectly reasonable. 

“Possible, I’m sure Captain. But not likely. As you know, piracy has been a constant threat since the moment Her Majesty laid claim to these waters. However, due to the increased reach of England and the power of the Western Trading Company, the number of pirate ships terrorizing our people has declined, but not stopped. There is only one ship who would have made such a move against the company in broad daylight.” Dameron paused, apparently for dramatic effect. 

“And you know the ship?” Ben asked drily. 

“She’s called _R’iia_. No one knows anything about the man who captain’s her, Niima. It’s as if they came out of the sea itself a few years ago, no one knows anything about where they came from. But Niima is becoming something of a legend in these waters. He’s known as the Pirate King. A skilled sailor, ruthless, and, some say, blessed with unnatural powers, by a sea witch” 

Ben rolled his eyes, it was like he was in some tavern listening to the twaddle of local fishermen. 

“Pirates have kings? I find it hard to believe that such individualist criminals would rally around any one person.” 

“They say the only way to become Pirate King is to earn the loyalty and vote of every faction leader. It’s a rare title because usually each captain votes for themselves. If Niima has managed to unite them, we should be wary of such a man.” 

“And the sea witch? Should we worry about her too?” 

“You’ve been gone a long time Captain Solo. There are things at work here that London is not versed in. We should be open to all avenues, sea monsters included.” 

“Right. Might I suggest spending a little less time in the heat, Lt. Commander? There’s no such thing as witches.” 

Much to Ben’s frustration, Dameron only smirked. 

“You’ll see soon enough.” 

_______________

It was late in the evening by the time they towed the crippled Company ship into Port Royale. Ben wouldn’t dare admit it to Dameron, but the way in which the ship had been disabled did almost verge on the mystical. It was all so cleanly done. The repairs would be simple enough, but they would take days at least. One would expect a pirate to use explosives or brute force to destroy anything in their way, but the precision in which these pirates acted was remarkable, almost laudable. 

Still, they were pirates and they were threatening the company of his trusted mentor. Ben Solo was a Captain in His Majesty’s Navy, and he would dispense with these rogues quickly and efficiently. 

The _R’iia_ would be at the bottom of the sea, and her captain headed to the noose soon enough. 


	2. 2

Rey absently rubbed at the branded _P_ that marred her wrist. Up until the iron had burned her flesh, she hadn’t thought of herself as a pirate, hadn’t considered that she would spend the rest of her days flying under the jolly roger, but now she wears it proudly. If the powers that be wanted to punish her for freeing humans who were being traded like cargo, then so be it. She would show them exactly what it meant to be a pirate. 

“There’s not many left who carry that mark and still roam free.” 

Rey turned as her first mate, Finn, came up beside her. He had been with her for almost as long as she had held this ship. He wasn’t a _bad_ sailor when he joined her, just hadn’t quite developed his sea legs. A trait which had him quickly cast off the merchant ship he had been hired by. 

In the three years they’d been roaming the seas together, Finn had become her friend and confidant, and sometimes the only voice of reason in her head. Neither of them kept score when it came to each other, but Rey was certain he had saved her more often than the other way around. And largely, from herself. 

“No. No, I suppose there aren’t,” answered Rey, watching the sun creep up over the horizon. The magnificent blue of the Caribbean was just waking, the world seemed still and peaceful. This was Rey’s favorite time of day. When the possibilities were endless and she felt unstoppable. 

“The world isn’t as big as it used to be,” Finn observed as he clasped his hands behind his back and surveyed the crew as they woke and began their daily duties. 

Rey shook her head. “The world’s the same. There’s just...less in it.” 

If Finn took notice of the sadness in her voice, he didn’t comment on it. In recent years, he had really come into his own as a pirate. He found purpose in his position on her crew and seemed happy with his life aboard the _R’iia_. 

Rey, on the other hand...wasn’t so sure. She knew contentment, she supposed. She liked being Captain of her ship. She found satisfaction in thwarting the every move of the Western Trading Company. But real happiness...she wasn’t sure she was capable of it. 

“Cook tells me we’re running low on provisions,” Finn interrupted her reverie. 

Again, Rey noticed she was tracing the _P_ on her wrist and stopped. 

“Make for Port Royale. I think we have all earned a night off. Standard covert procedure, you know the drill.” 

Orders given, Rey made for her cabin. Port Royale was one of the few towns in the Caribbean she hadn’t taken at one point or another. Largely because it would be suicide to attempt an attack on the most well-guarded stronghold in the region. Even if they successfully pillaged what they wanted, they probably wouldn’t make it out of the harbor. But privately, Rey kept the _R’iia_ out of Port Royale out of respect for the Organa-Solos. Despite her last encounter with Ben, they had fished her out of a shipwreck and gave her a place on the island. So she only allowed her crew into Port Royale if they swore to behave themselves. 

They would drop anchor in a hidden cove that was well out of view of both the town and any ships that were approaching or departing the main harbor. Most of the crew would pile into the skill and slip quietly into town for a night of comfort and revelry. 

Rey never joined in these expeditions. She had no desire to walk those streets again. She doubted anyone would recognize her as the apprentice blacksmith and one time companion of the Governor’s son that had gone missing four years ago; it was her own memories that kept her onboard her ship. She was happy to keep watch until her (slightly worse for wear) crew returned in the morning. 

Even though she knew their most recent Company victim would also be dropping anchor in Port Royale soon enough, Rey wasn’t worried. No pirate in their right mind would take such a risk, which was precisely why no one would be looking for pirates in town tonight. Her crew took precautions to hide their faces when attacking Company ships, even if they were sat next to the merchant captain, no one would recognize the pirates of the _R’iia._

_______________

The sun had long since set when a breeze finally ruffled through the rigging. 

Rey closed her eyes for a moment and smiled as the fresh air began to banish the staleness of the day. Re-energized, she turned her attention back to the distant shore. Truthfully, there was no way to see Port Royale from their hidden anchor point. But Rey watched all the same. 

Being in proximity to her former home made her nervous. Not least because she could be hanged for being a pirate, but mostly because this island had been witness to her final heartbreak. 

“Drink, Captain?” 

Rey looked up, Rose had been the only one of the crew to stay behind. Thankfully, none of the crew attempted to address her with her Pirate King title. Although, she was not above insisting upon its usage with pirates she didn’t like. 

“No, thank you.” Rey never drank while they were in proximity to Port Royale. 

“Why do you keep coming back if this island makes you uneasy?” 

Damn Rose and her perceptiveness. 

“We need at least one place to get provisions and go ashore without fuss. Port Royale has everything we need. And as it is the region’s center of commerce, there’s an opportunity to collect useful information.” 

It wasn’t a lie, but it wasn’t the whole truth. No one could know the whole truth. 

_______________

The sky had just begun it’s slow transformation from inky black to deep blue when the telltale sound of oars cutting through the water drifted through the air. 

Her crew was back from their night of revelry. Rey could only hope that the more responsible among them had remembered their much needed provisions as well. 

Rey laughed as a muffled curse and an unfortunate thud reached her ears as someone tried and failed to climb up from the dinghy. 

“Mr. Oyawale, I think you may have imbibed too much this evening,” said Rey when her First Mate managed to get himself over the ship’s railing. 

“Nonsense,” he waved. “I am perfectly capable of holding my own.” 

Rey smiled as she watched him try and focus on her face, even in the low light, it shouldn’t take that amount of effort. 

“Best get him to a bunk before he trips and we have to fish him out of the water,” Rey nodded to Finn’s bunkmate, Snap. 

“Yes, Captain,” Snap answered with an attempt at a salute. Truth be told, neither man was steady enough to be responsible for any charge. Together they departed, swaying slightly before bumping into the doorframe as they tried to go below decks at the same time. 

Rey shook her head and greeted the rest of her crew as they came aboard. Jannah was the last to haul herself over the railing, with far more grace than any of the prior attempts. 

“It was a good evening, I trust.” 

“Aye, Captain. The tavern was alight with rumors about the _R’iia_. The Company ship we took earlier has already been towed into the harbor. Apparently, we came out of the fog and used the spirits of dead sailors to immobilize the ship,” Jannah smirked as she leaned back against the railing. 

“Oh indeed. An expedient method of pillaging, I’m sure. But I think we had better leave the dead to their eternal rest.” 

Jannah laughed, “I quite agree. We have tempted fate enough by having several women aboard a ship, and a captain to boot to start toying with spirits.” 

Rey inclined her head in mockery of the old adage that had long since been uttered by men at sea. _It was bad luck to have a woman aboard a ship_. Rey had heard it enough times throughout her life. She supposed it was true enough, depending on one’s point of view. 

There were plenty of men at the bottom of the sea because they had crossed her. 

“Um, there’s something else, Captain.” 

Concern creased Jannah’s eyebrows. Of all her crew, Jannah was the most experienced sailor, any worry of hers was to be taken seriously. 

“Go on,” Rey’s steady reply hid the bad feeling growing in her gut. 

“There’s a newly arrived Captain – well, newly returned. He’s the son of Commodore Solo and the Governor. According to the gossip, during his time in London he became a favorite of Lord Snoke. They say he has taken the attack on the Company ship today personally. He’s been tasked with the capture of this ship and your arrest. Apparently he thinks the matter will be dealt with quickly.” 

Rey’s blood went cold. 

Ben was back. 

And he was looking for her. 

It was as if her ears had been stuffed with cotton. She couldn’t hear anything over the panicked thunder of her heartbeat. 

Before she could spiral any further, the logical part of her brain assured her that no one alive knew that Rey, the apprentice blacksmith from Port Royale and Captain Niima were the same person. 

“Captain? You’ve gone very pale.” Jannah reached out to grab her arm. 

“Rouse anyone who can stand on their own feet. Weigh anchor, we’re leaving. Now.” 

If Jannah responded to the order, Rey was unaware. The world was still muffled, her thoughts were only on the boy that had abandoned her. 

_“Don’t worry Rey, I’m watching over you.”_

It was one of the first things he had said to her all those years ago. He repeated it often during their friendship. When he noticed the bruises on her arms and had his mother replace the head of the orphanage. When he had Plutt fined for operating the forge while drunk. When he brought her food during lean times. When he snuck her into the estate when she had no other safe place to go. 

But then he left. 

The memory of their final conversation still stung deeply. 

Her parents' abandonment had dulled during her friendship with Ben. But even four years later, the injury he had dealt her was a wound that refused to heal. The pain and anger that had rattled around her heart when he left had fueled the creation of the legend that was Captain Niima. And now Captain Solo was charged with the arrest of the fearsome pirate. 

The irony of the situation was not lost on her. 

Her crew started bustling around her as they made to get the ship sailing. A sudden departure wasn’t all that unusual, except where nights of revelry at Port Royale were concerned. Rey usually let her crew rest their sore heads for a bit longer than was normal. If anyone wondered at the break in tradition, they all knew better than to ask. Captain Niima was a good leader – fair and just when it came to her crew. But she also had a temper that could rival the fabled kraken. 

It was that anger that fueled Rey now that the shock had worn off. She gathered her anger around her like a shield. She had long since learned to bury her emotions in favor of calculated decisions, she didn’t earn the title of Pirate King by releasing the barbs guarding her heart. 

She pushed away her memories of a broken girl and became again the scourge of the Western Trading Company. If _Captain_ Solo thought he would be able to arrest the Pirate King quickly, he was in for quite the shock. 

Rey tilted her face to the sky and asked for dreary weather and a fog to hide them. 

It was said that Captain Niima had been granted supernatural abilities because she sold her soul – either to the devil or sea witch, depending on the storyteller. Maybe she was cursed. Because the sea usually saw fit to give her what she asked for. 

_______________

“Captain, we’ll reach Isla de Muerta by nightfall,” Finn called through the closed door of her quarters. 

“Thank you, stay the course.” 

She listened to the retreating steps of her First Mate. Sometimes she wondered at her crew's trust in her. She hadn’t actually been a pirate for that long, and the title of Pirate King was newer still. And yet they trusted her with their lives. 

Truthfully, she would go hell for leather for all of them. Some of them left captains who weren’t fit to swab the deck of the _R’iia_. Some...some Rey had pulled from situations that made her blood boil. The trade of humans as chattel had long been abolished in the Queen’s realm, but that didn’t mean there weren’t men who still sought to deal in slavery. 

The Western Trading Company was the largest trafficker in the Caribbean. And Rey suspected their reach continued throughout other regions as well. No one would believe her testimony against Lord Alastair Snoke; that he bought and sold people like cargo. He fueled the most insidious trade that Rey had ever come across, and yet she was being hunted as an enemy of the state for daring to destroy Company ships. If the _R’iia_ was caught by Her Majesty’s Navy, Rey would be hanged as a pirate. They would have to make an example out of the reigning Pirate King, as well. Her execution would be public and humiliating. Snoke would demand it. 

Rey hoped they could find safe harbor at Isla de Muerta. The small island had long been their hiding place. Every good pirate needed a place to stash their treasure. And the Pirate King was no different. 

She needed a plan. 

A short blast from the conch in the crow’s nest interrupted her thoughts. That was the signal for a navy ship on the horizon. 

So much for coming up with a plan. 

Rey rushed from her cabin, already pulling her spyglass out of her coat. 

“NAVY ON THE STERN!” hollered Snap from his position high above the deck. 

Rey swore – if the ship was behind them, there was a chance it had followed them from Port Royale. She had hoped the morning fog would’ve been enough to hide them, but apparently not. 

“Orders Captain?” Finn called from the helm. 

“Onward Mr. Oyawale! Lead them beyond the island! 

‘But Captain–” 

“That’s an order!” 

Rey braced herself as she looked out at the naval ship that was closing in on them. It was moving too fast, they’d never outrun her, but what the _R’iia_ didn’t have in speed, she had in agility. They were going to lose the navy in the treacherous archipelago that lay beyond Isla de Muerta. 

She took up her spyglass again, the ship was close enough that she would be able to see individual sailors. She could only hope it was no one she knew. With a deep breath, Rey looked out of her pursuers. 

Even from this distance and four years apart, she knew it was him. 

He was standing above the helm, legs slightly apart and his hands behind his back. He looked every bit the upstanding naval captain. 

Rey felt a crack in the wall she’d built around her heart. She didn’t think she’d ever see Ben Solo again, and now he was coming to arrest her and her crew. 

She swallowed against the uncertainty that was brewing in her gut and resolved to win this fight. 

“Rose! Take the helm! Finn, I want all cannons primed and ready! Tie down anything loose and ready yourselves!” Rey barked orders as she ran from one end of the ship to the other. 

Rose had a steady enough hand to guide the _R’iia_ through the rocky waters, but she’d need more eyes to see the dangers she wouldn’t be able to see from the helm. 

They passed the place where they would normally turn into the hidden cove of their safe haven and continued into the perilous waters between the rocky islands. Rey was just about to call a heading shift to Rose when a warning shot hit a cliff 200 meters to the right. 

Rey swore viciously as the blast caught her off guard. She turned to see how close the ship was. 

_Too close._

They could have hit the main mast – it was a warning shot. 

Rose was nearly into the safety (ha) of the rocky archipelago, but there was a high chance this would come to blows before they could lose the larger ship. 

“Battle stations crew! You know the drill!” Rey bellowed. She checked the powder in her pistol and made sure her sword belt was secure. All around her, the crew buzzed excitedly, it had been a while since they’d been allowed a proper fight. 

Barrels of powder were brought up from the hold, superfluous sails were dropped – both in aid of Rose’s agile sailing, but also so the navy couldn’t blow holes in the canvas. They’d need the sails later to put distance between them and the inevitable battlefield. 

The naval ship gained more ground and Rey ordered her crew to don their masks. In between their tasks, she watched as scarves were pulled up over mouths or down over eyes. Of all who sailed on the _R’iia_ – Rey was the only one who didn’t wear a mask. The Pirate King hid from no one. 

Another warning shot exploded, this time on the port side. The message was clear, the next one would be aimed straight down the middle. 

“Bring her around, Rose! We’re not going to make the rocks in time!” 

_No more running. If they want a fight, I’ll give them one._

“Hoist the colors!” 

A smirk lifted in the corner of Rey’s lips as she watched the skull and crossbones rise. She had flown under the jolly roger for years now, but she still loved to watch the flag billow in the wind. It was a physical reminder that she belonged to no one – just the sea. 

“Fire one, if you please, Finn,” Rey called. “Let them know exactly who they’re chasing.” 

The ship was still coming towards them at full speed. The cannons wouldn’t be in use for very long – at such a close range the risk of both ships being sunk was too great. Rey knew Ben wouldn’t risk his own ship, besides, it would be difficult to arrest any pirates if he was stranded with a wreck. 

Rey wouldn’t risk her ship or crew either. No, this fight would be decided with pistols and swords. Truthfully, she preferred it that way. 

“Show them no quarter! You’ll get none in return!” Rey called to her crew. They were standing ready to board the naval ship. Her crew would be across and onto the deck of the ship before the sailors could ready themselves. 

The crew of the _R’iia_ were swift and brutal in their attacks. Rey would not have gained half her reputation as a thorn in the side of the Western Trading Company if it wasn’t for the skill of the pirates who sailed with her. 

Rey offered up one final prayer to the sea. 

_Get us through this, please_. 

Finn fired another shot close to the hull of the ship as it came within shouting distance. 

Rey swallowed against the lump forming in her throat. This was the closest she’d been to Ben since the night before he left for England. 

And he had no idea. 

“Surrender now, and only _some_ of you will hang,” Ben shouted across the chasm of the two ships. 

Rey narrowed her eyes, there was no other way to punish a pirate. Death was the only option. 

“I promise a much quicker death for those who lead me to the Pirate King.” 

_Ah. There it is._

Rey felt the eyes of a few of her pirates on her. No one would speak before she gave the word, but she knew they were wondering how she would answer. 

“And what, pray tell, is to be the fate of the Pirate King?” she shouted back. 

She heard a few sniggers from her crew as they readied their ropes. 

“He will be hanged in Port Royale for his crimes,” Ben answered. 

“Well then, gang. Shall we bring the Pirate King to these dutiful sailors?” Rey called to her crew. 

A vicious roar roiled through the _R’iia_ and her pirates descended upon the naval ship. 

After instructing Rose to be ready to make a quick exit, Rey herself swung across to the ship, ready to face her past. 

The moment her feet hit the deck, she was consumed by the melee. The adrenaline of a fight was something truly addictive for Rey. The sparks, the danger, the sheer thrill of it all set her heart ablaze. 

She spun and stopped an incoming sword with a slash of her own. Another flick of her sword and a kick to the stomach sent the sailor flying. She spun again to find Finn locked in a duel with Ben. 

_Shit._

Finn was competent with a sword but no doubt Ben had only improved during his time away. Rey fought her way across the deck of the ship, helping her crew as she passed. With one final punch to the last sailor in her way, at last she turned her full attention to Finn just as Ben managed to sink his sword into Finn’s shoulder. 

“FINN!” she screamed and slid between the two men. 

Ben’s eyes went wide as he realized who stood in front of him. In his shock, he left himself open to attack. Rey sent him flying with a kick to the gut so she could check on Finn. 

“I’m okay, Captain, stop fussing,” Finn huffed as she helped him to his feet. His shoulder was bleeding profusely. 

“Get back to the ship this won’t last much longer–” 

“Captain…” 

Finn’s warning called her attention back to Ben. He was on his feet again and moving slowly towards them. 

“Back to the ship, Finn,” Rey ordered quietly, not taking her eyes off Ben. 

“But–” she heard him shift his feet, ready for a fight. 

“That’s an order.” 

“Aye, Captain.” 

When it was just Ben and Rey left standing on the raised forecastle, Ben broke the silence. 

“You’re a pirate.” 

“The proper form address is Your Highness, actually,” Rey replied bitterly. She didn’t know how to navigate these particular waters. Once upon a time Ben had been her best friend, then he left her. Now he was charged with her arrest. 

“You’re the Pirate King.” 

Rey didn’t think it possible for his eyes to go any wider, but they did. 

“And I have no intention of being arrested today, you’re just going to have to surrender.” 

In the periphery of her vision, she could see the fight on the main deck was nearly over. Her crew had the sailors surrounded. The group below decks would almost have everything collected. It was time to end this. 

“Rey–” 

“Don’t,” she hissed. Rey took a step forward and raised her sword. Too late, she realized the opening step she chose was one he taught her. 

Thunder rolled above them and the heavens opened to a deluge of rain as Rey made her attack. 

Their swords clashed again and again. The deluge made it harder to see, but rey was determined that this fight would not derail her reputation as the ruthless Pirate King. To her frustration, Ben did little but deflect each blow she brought down against him. 

“I don’t want to hurt you,” Ben panted out after pushing her sword away again. 

A crack ran down the length of the wall around Rey’s heart. 

“You can’t,” she spat, tasting the lie on her lips. 

“Rey,” he tried again. 

“No!” She spun away then renewed her attack against him. 

“You’re wanted for stealing Company property and pillaging every town in the region. Rey what happened to you?” He deflected another swing of her sword. 

“Property! Ha,” Rey let out a mirthless laugh. “Interesting that the Company should use such a phrase to describe living souls.” She swung her sword again, only narrowly missing his face. 

“The Company doesn’t trade in slaves, you’re mistaken,” he panted. “Please, Rey, come home with me. We can fix this.” 

“I wear a pirate brand because I was caught freeing humans that Lord Snoke treated as possessions. The Company deals in slavery. I’ve seen it with my own eyes.” 

Again Ben left himself open in his shock. 

This time Rey’s sword found her mark. 

The razor edge of her sword tore his skin open from brow to collar. 

Her stomach rolled as she saw the damage had wrecked upon him. Rain and blood mixed on his face and stained the pristine white of his shirt. 

Even as he fell to his knees, Ben managed to keep his chin up. “Come back with me, Rey. Please.” 

His voice was quiet but it wrenched a hole in her chest. 

“I will not stop until Snoke’s empire lies dead at the bottom of the sea. You can arrest me then. I’ll gladly face the noose after destroying every last piece of his godforsaken company.” She let her sword rest at the hollow of his throat. Another in a long line of sailors who had fallen to Captain Niima. 

“Pirates!” Rey called loudly. “The ship is ours!” 

All fighting on the main deck stopped as they saw the Pirate King had Captain Ben Solo on his knees. Rey heard the clatter of falling weapons as the sailors surrendered. The cheers of her crew rang loudly around her, but she kept her focus only on Ben. 

Rey kept her expression blank as she stared down at the man she had once known better than anyone. Her childish heart screamed at her to let go, but the Pirate King knew better. 

Ben held her eyes, even as blood trickled down his face. 

Her heart was beating wildly in her chest, but her hand was steady as she used the tip of her sword to coax his chin higher. She needed every sailor on this ship to know just how close they were to death and ruin. 

To his credit, Ben didn’t blink, even as she felt his skin give slightly against her sharp blade. 

“Take their weapons. And the rudder chain. Leave them with their lives.” Rey didn’t look away as she gave the orders to her crew. 

In her peripheral vision, she tracked the movement of those of her crew that were uninjured enough to carry out her orders, but she never lifted her gaze from Ben’s. 

She thanked every star in the sky that he didn’t try to speak, to reason with her again. She wasn’t sure how much longer her resolve would hold if she had to listen to the soft voice of her childhood. She’d have to break him further – and possibly lose herself in the process. 

“Captain,” called Finn from behind her. 

They were ready, her crew had departed back to the _R’iia_ and now had their weapons trained on the sailors. 

“Don’t cross me again, sailor. Or I’ll take everything else,” Rey threatened quietly. Her statement had been made twelve times over. Captain Niima held the power in these waters. 

Rey had both feet on the railing and was about to take the last rope back to her ship when Ben finally spoke. 

“Its Captain, actually. Captain Solo.” 

Rey didn’t look back. 

The Pirate King couldn’t afford to. 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thank you for reading!!
> 
> Finn's last name, Oyawale, came from [this thread by @SolarLilith](https://twitter.com/SolarLilith/status/1347388262688686081)


	3. 3

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hello! And if you're still here, thank you for your patience. The pandemic ennui hit me hard the last couple of weeks, on top of various other things.   
> find me on twitter where I sometimes post snippets but mostly just get annoyed at myself for not writing @alderaanbby

It took 3 days to get back to the harbor. Two days of limping along with the help of weak breezes until they were close enough for a flare to be seen from Port Royale. 

By the time they were towed back to town, Ben was in a foul mood. His pale skin was burnt and peeling. The wound dealt to him by Rey had been hastily sewn up by Charles, but it itched behind the constant dull ache. There was no doubt it would leave a scar. A permanent reminder of his failures – both to his duty as a naval captain and to Rey. He should not have left while she was upset, he should have tried harder to find her. He should have looked for her himself after his parents sent word she had left Port Royale. He failed her, and she fell in with criminals. Surely the secret of her identity would spread widely. Now she was destined for the noose, and Ben would have to find a way to prevent that from happening. 

“We’ve docked, Captain.” Came Poe’s voice from outside his cabin. 

Ben stood, and had to bite back a groan. His head throbbed painfully and he was sure his face, neck, and chest was one giant bruise as the cut from Rey began to heal behind its stitches. He wanted nothing more than to sleep for 10 straight days. 

Still, he was a Captain in Her Majesty’s Navy, and the son of Leia Organa and Han Solo. So when he emerged on deck, he stood with his back straight and a determined expression on his face. His life would be made more difficult by his failure. When he arrived back in Port Royale only a few days ago, he was untested in the face of his commission, and now he had nothing to show except an immediate bungling of a simple mission. 

Strangely, though, he had more purpose than before. Now that he knew it was Rey he was searching for, he wouldn’t stop until he found her again. 

Ben left Charles to order the repairs to the ship and made for his father’s office. Focused as he was, he didn’t stop Dameron from following. 

“I told you there was something unnatural about that ship. Not a cloud in the sky all day and then they vanish in a torrential downpour. What’s next, Niima has trained a pet Kraken?” 

Outwardly, Ben sighed. Privately, he felt that Rey was probably capable of taming the legendary beast. 

“You managed to hold the ‘I told you so’ for longer than I would have guessed. Are you maturing in your old age, Dameron?” Ben asked without looking over his shoulder. 

“We’re the same age, _Captain_ ,” Poe replied with more snark than Ben would allow had they an audience. “And it seemed in poor taste, seeing as you took a beating. I have to say,” Poe paused to check that there was no one within earshot. “Niima is a talented swordsman. If he wasn’t a pirate, I’d say we should recruit him.” 

Ben almost missed the first step in the staircase at Dameron’s words. No one else had seen. No one else knew Captain Niima was a woman. A woman who had grown up in Port Royale. There was still a chance he could save her. The world never need know she was a pirate. 

“It would be nice to finally have a talented sword on my crew,” Ben answered drily over the frantic beating of his heart. 

Before Dameron could object at the jab to his skill as a fighter, Ben opened the door to his father’s office. 

“What the hell happened to you?” Han reached up, his hand hovering over the marred side of Ben’s face. 

“The pirate king is an exceptional fighter. A natural gift, you might say, and possibly the fiercest I’ve come across,” Ben hoped that his father would catch the reference in his words. He couldn’t speak plainly while Dameron was in the room. 

The flash in Han’s eyes told him he remembered. Those were the exact words he used to describe Rey’s fighting style when they were younger, both still relatively new to swordplay, but eager students nonetheless. Han had caught Ben teaching Rey everything he was learning in his own lessons, and decided to teach them both at the same time. 

“We’ve been summoned to the Governor’s office. We need to move quickly if we are to speak with her before he arrives,” Han shrugged into his coat, with only a minor curse at the warmth of the wool. ( _Woolen uniforms in this heat? Who is the ninny who came up with that idea? Was an oft repeated complaint at the Organa-Solo dinner table.)_

“Before who arrives?” asked Ben. A bad feeling grew in his gut, he knew the answer to his question, but needed his father to say it aloud. 

“Lord Snoke has arrived in the Caribbean,” Han grumbled. 

Ben swallowed hard. His mentor would now be an additional witness to his failure. 

_______________

Han opened the door and entered first. Ben nodded to Dameron that he should wait outside. No need for his subordinates to witness what would surely be nothing less than a fierce admonishment. 

Mercifully, Ben’s luck hadn’t entirely run out just yet, Snoke had not arrived in Leia’s office. 

“Ben!” Leia exclaimed, rushing out from behind her desk. She gently tilted his face so she could see the extent of the damage. 

“It was Rey,” he said quietly, cognizant of Dameron’s presence just outside. “She captains the _R’iia_. She’s the Pirate King.” 

Leia gasped softly and Han ran a hand through his hair. 

“Well, damn.” 

“She said Snoke deals in slaves. She saw it herself.” Ben searched his mother’s eyes for the denial he wanted. Snoke had been good to him in England, a wise mentor who showed Ben how he could reach his full potential outside the shadow of his lineage. 

Leia closed her eyes and took a deep breath. 

“We’ve long since suspected, but had no evidence to the fact.” Leia returned to her desk and sat heavily. For the first time, Ben saw the toll leadership took on his mother. He knew that she faced hardships that were different than most politicians. Despite there never being a law _against_ woman governorships, there were precious few who filled the ranks. And more who were openly disdainful about serving under a woman. Even one as capable as Leia Organa. 

“Despite the growing frequency of pirate attacks on Company ships, their deliveries to the islands shrunk only marginally. So if the attacks weren’t compromising goods for the market, and there were almost no casualties to their sailors, why were we receiving irate complaints? And then there's the interesting fact that ships’ manifest were always destroyed during the attack. It didn’t add up – the Company was clearly moving something that they didn’t want the Crown to know about,” Han explained. 

“For the sake of all that is good and decent in this world, I had hoped that it wasn’t living souls. But I suppose there was nothing else it could be,” said Leia. 

“What do we do now?” asked Ben. He had spent the last three days considering Rey’s words. Although he desperately wished otherwise, of course it was true. There was no lie in her eyes when she spoke. 

“If he is as favoured at Court as you say, then we continue to play the game. I fear arresting him now would only cause problems for us later. And no doubt he will have contingencies planned against his imprisonment,” Leia sighed. 

“I hate politics,” gumbled Han. 

No doubt his father would advocate for clapping Snoke in irons the minute he crossed the threshold, but all of them knew Leia was right. 

A knock on the door told them their time was up. The game was about to begin. 

“Lord Snoke to see you, Madame Governor,” Dameron opened the door wider to let the man in before retreating back to his post. 

“Lord Snoke, welcome to the Caribbean. What brings you all the way from England?” Han asked perhaps just a touch too innocently. 

Ben kept his eyes forward, as the lowest ranking person in the room, he needed to wait until he was spoken to. He tried his best to push any thoughts of Rey far away. If he believed in such things, he would have said that Snoke seemed able to read his mind sometimes. He could show no weakness in this room. He could not allow anyone else to be tasked with the hunt for Captain Niima. 

“As you are well aware, Commodore. My ships have been subject to continuous attack by pirates, without so much as a finger lifted in assistance from your fleet. I am here to see that business can continue in the Caribbean. As you might also know, my company provides an invaluable service to Her Majesty’s subjects here. And I would hate to have to recall my ships if their safety cannot be ensured.” 

Ben fought the urge to look at his mother. Threats, thinly veiled or otherwise, were not taken well by Leia Organa. He had watched her reduce men thrice her size to tears, but she was also smart enough to know that Snoke would make good on his threat to leave the Caribbean, and residents of Port Royale without any supplies. ( _Politics is just as much a battle as war, Benjamin. There is strategy in conversing with your opposition, much as there is strategy on the battlefield. You have to know when to strike, and went to hold, she once told him after he watched a smug businessman leave her office.)_

“If your ships were more forthcoming with their routes and manifests, we may be able to provide greater assistance on this grave matter, Lord Snoke.” Han was less versed in games of conversation as Leia, but after years of marriage, they were coordinated in their attacks. ( _Honestly kid, these smarmy bastards just need one good punch to the nose. They’ve probably never been in a real fight in their entire pampered life. Trading barbed words will never set them right, only a swift kick up the backside will do that. Don’t tell your mother I said that.)_

“Benjamin, I’m told you have been tasked with the capture of the pirate filth that has been attacking my company,” Snoke turned his cold eyes to the young captain. 

“Yes, sir.” 

“I understand you have already had an encounter with the ship.” 

“Yes, sir.” Ben kept his eyes firmly ahead, and willed his expression to stay neutral. 

“I also understand that your ship had to be towed into the harbor. I hesitate to ask if it was the outcome of a victorious encounter.” 

“It was not, sir.” 

“I thought not. By now I suppose I should not be surprised, but expected better of you, Benjamin.” 

Ben’s eyes cast down to the floor. “Yes, sir.” Despite the new information he had on what kind of a man Snoke was, the disappointment still cut deep. He felt as if he were 16 again, standing in Snoke’s office after losing the top place in his marksmanship class. 

“Although it pains me to do this, Leia, I must insist that young Benjamin here be suspended from his post.” An outsider might just believe the sincerity that rang in Snoke’s tone, but the three people in the room heard it for what it was. Poison disguised with saccharine words. 

Ben kept his eyes trained on the floor. He knew the verdict before his mother spoke. 

“I hardly think that is necessary, Alistair. One skirmish is not enough to signal a loss of faith in Captain Solo’s ability.” 

“I’m afraid young Benjamin’s failure is just another indicator of the failings of Her Majesty’s Navy in the Caribbean. I have been a patient man long enough, and now I am resolved to demand consequences for the lack of action against this pirate scum. Either Benjamin is removed from his post, or I remove my ships from Port Royale and the surrounding islands. I will not be able to do business in an area where my assets are put at risk time and time again.” 

The room was silent as Leia and Han considered their options. If Ben looked up he would be sure to find his parents engaged in a silent conversation. They knew that Snoke was being unreasonable, but the power of the Western Trading Company was such that he was in a position to make demands. And for now, they had to give in. 

Ben knew enough of the game of politics to know there was only one outcome of this meeting. But that didn’t mean it wasn’t going to hurt any less. 

“I do not think it fair Captain Solo shoulder the blame for pirate activity in the area, especially given he is only newly returned from England. But, as a show of good faith to our commitment to the safety of your ships and enterprise, I will agree to your request. Commodore,” somberly, Leia nodded to Han. 

Han stepped in front of Ben with his hand outstretched. His body was turned so that Snoke could not see, only Ben could read the apology in his father’s eyes. 

Silently, Ben unclipped the bars that signaled his rank in Her Majesty’s Navy. He had been so proud to earn them, to prove his worth. And now, even though he knew it was only a part of a much longer game, the shame in his belly was as real as anything. 

He was Captain Ben Solo, no more. He was no one. Snoke knew where to hurt him. 

“As a matter of courtesy, I am also here to inform you that I have hired my own privateers to guard my ships and bring about an end to the pirate scum that has been troubling our waters,” Snoke pulled a leather folio out of his jacket. 

“All approved by Her Majesty, of course,” he offered the papers to Leia for inspection with a poorly hidden smug look. 

Leia took the papers with a grim look on her face. Given what they knew of Snoke’s enterprise, the papers signed by the Queen herself only proved further that they would have to move carefully against someone so favored by the Court. 

“This appears to be in order. Is that all business taken care of?” Leia stood from her desk, the dismissal apparent in her tone. 

“Yes, I believe so. I do hope our next meeting is free of such unpleasantness, Madame Governor,” Snoke inclined his head before turning to Han. “Commodore. Benjamin, would you walk me back to my office, there is news of your friends in England I would share with you.” 

More than anything, Ben wanted to say no, but the request wasn’t really a request. And despite everything, something in him still answered to Snoke as he had when he thought the man a worthy mentor. 

“Yes, sir.” Ben didn’t risk a glance to either of his parents before leaving. He opened the door to let Snoke through first. Dameron was still posted outside, though he quickly stopped leaning against the wall when he saw Ben. 

Of course, Dameron immediately noticed the lack of captain’s bars on Ben’s shoulders. Ben silenced his shocked look with a minute shake of the head. Now was not the time for explanations. And, if he had to hazard a guess, Han was about to send Dameron to warn Charles and other trusted sailors about Snoke’s privateers. 

After they were out of earshot of the governor’s office and on their way to the buildings that sat closer to the harbor, Snoke finally spoke. 

“I trust you remember Miss Gwendolyn Phasma?” 

“Yes, sir.” 

Gwen was another protege of Snoke’s. A young woman about Ben’s age, but slightly taller, she was a fearsome character to behold. As Ben understood it, she was adopted as Snoke’s ward after some unfortunate business with her parents. He had always thought it a magnanimous gesture, he knew Gwen came from a far less fortunate background than he did. But now, of course, he suspected it was driven by something more sinister. 

“She has made the journey with me. She will be leading the Company’s efforts to bring justice to the pirate scum wreaking havoc with my ships.” 

Ben’s blood turned to ice in his veins. Gwen was a ruthless fighter. They often sparred together, and their matches rarely ended in anything other than a bloody and bruised tie. He had more stamina than she did, but she played less by the rules, and every fight seemed personal to her. Even if it was only in training. She was a warrior at heart, ambitious and driven. And if she was set the task of Captain Niima’s capture (or worse), Rey was in danger. 

“No doubt she will serve you well, sir.” 

“Certainly better than you have, Benjamin. I thought I taught you better, but look at you now, boy. One fight with a pirate and you’ve been split to the core,” spat Snoke. 

Ben raised his chin but kept his eyes downcast. He could only hope that his expression remained neutral enough to avoid any further punishment. He needed to get out of here quickly. If Gwen’s search was starting today, he had precious little time to find Rey and keep her out of Snoke’s clutches. 

“You will tell Gwendolyn everything of your encounter with that pirate scum, and you had better hope you can provide enough information to be of use to me, Benjamin. Or your loss in rank will be the least of your worries.” 

“Yes, sir.” 

Snoke led Ben into one of the new buildings in the harbor. Port Royale had grown in his absence, but at a glance, it seemed that this entire building was occupied by the Western Trading Company. 

The building itself was not so remarkable that it stood out, it was of standard construction and appearance as many places in Port Royale, and yet, Ben felt as if he was walking into the lair of some great and terrible beast. 

With each clerk or underling they passed, there was a chorus of greetings aimed at Lord Snoke. There were bows and quick jumps as people showed deference and fear at the presence of the company’s owner. Ben guessed that few had seen Lord Snoke before, but the way he carried himself was intimidating enough. It was a feeling that Ben himself was all too familiar with. 

Eventually they came to a halt on the top floor. A large mahogany door was marked as Snoke’s office. It was more ornate than anything in the government buildings, even the door to his mother’s office. In truth, its style was more suited to the grand houses of London, rather than a small town in the Caribbean, but Ben supposed that was rather the point. 

To remind everyone who held the real power in these waters. 

“Gwendolyn, you remember Benjamin Solo,” Snoke swept into the room and sat behind the imposing oak desk that took up almost a third of one side of the room. 

“Of course,” Gwen inclined her head, her eyes immediately darting from the wound on his face to the absence of captain’s bars on his uniform. 

“Welcome to Port Royale,” Ben said stiffly. 

“Benjamin is here to share his knowledge of the _R’iia_ for your upcoming investigation. Go ahead,” he waved for Ben to begin. 

Ben felt his palms start to sweat so he clasped his hands behind his back and recapped his encounter with the pirates. He needed the story to stand up against any other version Gwen would undoubtedly pull from the sailors who were on his ship without providing any information that might help Snoke find Rey before he could. 

“They left everyone alive?” Gwen asked. 

“Yes, both sides sustained injuries, but none of my men were dealt life-threatening blows.” 

“Besides yourself,” said Snoke with an accusatory glance. 

Ben curled his hands further into fists behind his back. His cut was not life-threatening, his presence in Snoke’s office was proof enough of that, but it was just another carefully placed barb against his confidence. 

It was almost amazing how the revelation of Rey’s accusation against Snoke had woken Ben to the full extent of his mentor’s poison. 

“I assure you, sir. I shall make a full recovery, this wound shall not be the end of me.” 

“God willing,” answered Snoke. 

“Is there any other assistance I can provide, sir? The Commodore will be expecting my full report on the incident.” 

Han of course, was awaiting no such thing, but Ben needed to get out of this room as quickly as possible. 

“If there is anything else, my boy, we know where to find you. The Governor’s Mansion can be seen from just about anywhere in Port Royale.” Though Snoke’s words were marked with a smile, underneath it was just another reminder that Ben was relegated to the sidelines because of Snoke’s own demand. 

_______________

Ben was exhausted by the time he returned home. He leaned heavily against the front door and let his head fall back with a loud _thud._ It seemed like a year ago that he had crossed this threshold, a newly returned Captain. And yet, it had only been four days. Four days, and a whirlwind of events. 

Rey was a pirate. And a Pirate King, at that. She’d damn near sliced him in half and left his ship disabled near a dangerous archipelago. And she’d shaken him with accusations (which were no doubt true) against his mentor. Then he’d had his rank stripped from him. 

Ben wanted nothing more than to collapse on his bed for at least a week. But there was work to be done. With a groan he dragged himself upstairs for his first proper wash in days. He hoped that his parents would be home for dinner so at least they could plan their next move. 

Whatever it was, they would have to act quickly before Phasma and Snoke got to Rey. She may be a pirate and a criminal in the eyes of Her Majesty’s government, but for now she was the only thing hindering Snoke’s slave trade. And possibly, their only chance at proving his true nature. 

_______________

Ben left his room with his hair still dripping slightly onto his fresh shirt when he heard his parents arrive home. 

He was surprised to find they weren’t alone. Of all people, Poe Dameron had accompanied them. Ben sighed and set his jaw. They wouldn’t be able to speak freely in front of him. It was another delay, but this one was avoidable. 

“Don’t look so put out, Ben. Poe is here to help,” Leia undid the pins in her hat and set it on the entry table. 

Ben stopped in the middle of the staircase, his fists balled so tightly, his knuckles were a stark white. 

“You told him?” he ground out. That was not their decision to make. The more people that knew Rey was the fabled Captain Niima, the more danger she was in. 

“Poe has known of our suspicions of Snoke for some time now. He can be trusted, kid,” answered his father while he turned to hang up his coat. 

Ben hardly agreed, but didn’t say anything as he followed his parents to the dining room where Cecil had set out four places. It seemed everyone was aware of Dameron’s inclusion except him. 

“I remember Rey, I don’t want to see her in the hands of Snoke either. And, its not fair that Snoke demanded your demotion, Captain. You’ve only been back for a few days, he can hardly hold you accountable for the last several years of pirate raids,” Dameron offered. 

“It’s fine,” Ben grumbled, even as he scraped back his chair harder than was necessary and sat down. 

“It’s temporary,” assured Leia. 

“What did Snoke want?” asked Han, taking his place across the table from Leia. 

“He wanted to know everything about my encounter with Captain Niima. For his own investigation. He’s brought along his ward, Gwendolyn Phasma. We used to train together back in London. She’s dangerous. Driven and bloodthirsty – she’s a formidable opponent.” 

“Well, we just need to make sure we find Captain Niima first. She needs to be warned about Snoke’s new efforts to stop her, and we need proof about his _other_ enterprise,” answered Leia with the steady practicality that used to frustrate Ben as a child. She always seemed so sure of herself, of her choices, and stated them as though victory was inevitable. 

“Ben,” she continued, “I do regret that your rank was stripped today, but it does offer an advantage. Now that you are no longer beholden to the Navy, you can operate outside of its confines. Hopefully, this will allow you to employ any technique you deem necessary to get to the _R’iia_ before Snoke does.” 

Ben looked over at his mother, in the haze of today’s events, he hadn’t realized she had actually afforded him an advantage. 

“This is where I come in,” announced Dameron. “I’m coming with you.” 

“You’re coming with me?” asked Ben, incredulous. Despite the best efforts of their parents, the two had remained coldly indifferent to one another growing up. And now they were going to be paired against one of the most dangerous men in the Caribbean. 

“No offense, Ben, but you can’t do this alone. No ship useful in a fight like this can be crewed alone. You need someone, and I’m all you’ve got. Besides, Snoke is a bastard and I want to see him imprisoned for his crimes,” Dameron crossed his arms and leaned back against the chair. 

“Fine,” Ben rolled his eyes – largely on principle. He knew Dameron had a point, he was just loath to admit it. 

“Where should we start?” Han asked. 

“I believe the _R’iia_ was headed for a safe harbor when we caught up to her. Why else would they be so close to such a perilous archipelago. No one would risk such dangerous waters unless they had a reason. One of those islands must be their stash site. Every pirate worth their salt has a place to hide their riches, or themselves, if need be. We just need to find the right one,” Ben reached for his wine glass. He’d had three whole days to consider what Rey was doing in those treacherous waters, and he was sure he was right. 

Dameron let out a low whistle. “If you’re right, and they deliberately sail into those rocky waters, she’s braver than I thought.” 

Despite himself, Ben felt a surge of pride for Rey. Of course she was braver than Poe Dameron would have guessed. She was incredible, she always had been. 

Cecil interrupted Ben’s reminiscence with the arrival of dinner. It wasn’t until he left the room that conversation resumed. Not that Cecil wasn’t a loyal member of the household – he had been with Leia’s family for her entire life, but he was a chatty one, and sometimes couldn’t help divulging information before realizing he shouldn’t have. 

“I’d wager that Snoke will send out his privateers first thing in the morning. Anything you left out of your account, he might know soon, depending on what he might hear from sailors who were aboard your mission. I can’t get word out to hold information, its too risky, so we’ll just have to hope that no one else has a theory like yours, kid.” 

“Then we had better leave before dawn,” Ben looked over at Dameron, who nodded. 

_Please wait for me this time, Rey._ Ben sent out a silent prayer to whoever was listening. 

**Author's Note:**

> Thank you for reading!!
> 
> a note on the slavery tag: i'm moving away from historic fact here, the human trafficking scheme that Snoke has created will not be based in race (ie anyone from anywhere could be kidnapped and sold)
> 
> if you want more pirate aus, may I suggest:  
> [the star to every wand'ring bark](https://archiveofourown.org/works/27031021) by niennathegrey, rated E WIP  
> [compass](https://archiveofourown.org/works/24884800) by SpaceWaffleHouseTM, rated E oneshot
> 
> the genius idea to rec fics in the end notes came across my TL a while ago but I don't remember who it was :( if you know who it was, please let me know so I can give proper credit!
> 
> find me on twitter [@alderaanbby](https://twitter.com/alderaanbby)


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